Worthy.Bible » YLT » Ezekiel » Chapter 10 » Verse 1

Ezekiel 10:1 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And I look, and lo, on the expanse that `is' above the head of the cherubs, as a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne, He hath been seen over them.

Cross Reference

Exodus 24:10 YLT

and they see the God of Israel, and under His feet `is' as the white work of the sapphire, and as the substance of the heavens for purity;

Revelation 4:2-3 YLT

and immediately I was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne was set in the heaven, and upon the throne is `one' sitting, and He who is sitting was in sight like a stone, jasper and sardine: and a rainbow was round the throne in sight like an emerald.

Jeremiah 13:8 YLT

And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying, `Thus said Jehovah:

Revelation 1:13 YLT

and in the midst of the seven lamp-stands, `one' like to a son of man, clothed to the foot, and girt round at the breast with a golden girdle,

1 Peter 3:22 YLT

who is at the right hand of God, having gone on to heaven -- messengers, and authorities, and powers, having been subjected to him.

Ephesians 1:20 YLT

which He wrought in the Christ, having raised him out of the dead, and did set `him' at His right hand in the heavenly `places',

John 1:18 YLT

God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father -- he did declare.

Habakkuk 2:1 YLT

On my charge I stand, and I station myself on a bulwark, and I watch to see what He doth speak against me, and what I do reply to my reproof.

Ezekiel 11:22 YLT

And the cherubs lift up their wings, and the wheels `are' over-against them, and the honour of the God of Israel `is' over them above.

Ezekiel 10:20 YLT

It `is' the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar, and I know that they are cherubs.

Ezekiel 1:22-26 YLT

And a likeness `is' over the heads of the living creatures of an expanse, as the colour of the fearful ice, stretched out over their heads from above. And under the expanse their wings `are' straight, one toward the other, to each are two covering on this side, and to each are two covering on that side -- their bodies. And I hear the noise of their wings, as the noise of many waters, as the noise of the Mighty One, in their going -- the noise of tumult, as the noise of a camp, in their standing they let fall their wings. And there is a voice from above the expanse, that `is' above their head: in their standing they let fall their wings. And above the expanse that `is' over their head, as an appearance of a sapphire stone, `is' the likeness of a throne, and on the likeness of the throne a likeness, as the appearance of man upon it from above.

Jeremiah 13:18-22 YLT

Say to the king and to the mistress: Make yourselves low -- sit still, For come down have your principalities, The crown of your beauty. The cities of the south have been shut up, And there is none opening, Judah hath been removed -- all of her, She hath been removed completely -- Lift up your eyes, and see those coming in from the north, Where `is' the drove given to thee, thy beautiful flock? What dost thou say, when He looketh after thee? And thou -- thou hast taught them `to be' over thee -- leaders for head? Do not pangs seize thee as a travailing woman? And when thou dost say in thy heart, `Wherefore have these met me?' For the abundance of thine iniquity Have thy skirts been uncovered, Have thy heels suffered violence.

Genesis 18:2 YLT

and he lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself towards the earth,

Jeremiah 13:6 YLT

And it cometh to pass, at the end of many days, that Jehovah saith unto me, `Rise, go to Phrat, and take thence the girdle, that I commanded thee to hide there;'

Isaiah 21:8-9 YLT

And he crieth -- a lion, `On a watch-tower my lord, I am standing continually by day, And on my ward I am stationed whole nights. And lo, this, the chariot of a man is coming, A couple of horsemen.' And he answereth and saith: `Fallen, fallen hath Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods He hath broken to the earth.

Psalms 68:17-18 YLT

The chariots of God `are' myriads, thousands of changes, The Lord `is' among them, in Sinai, in the sanctuary. Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast taken captive captivity, Thou hast taken gifts for men, That even the refractory may rest, O Jah God.

Psalms 18:10 YLT

And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And He flieth on wings of wind.

Joshua 6:2 YLT

And Jehovah saith unto Joshua, `See, I have given into thy hand Jericho and its king -- mighty ones of valour,

Joshua 5:13-15 YLT

And it cometh to pass in Joshua's being by Jericho, that he lifteth up his eyes, and looketh, and lo, one standing over-against him, and his drawn sword in his hand, and Joshua goeth unto him, and saith to him, `Art thou for us or for our adversaries?' And He saith, `No, for I `am' Prince of Jehovah's host; now I have come;' and Joshua falleth on his face to the earth, and doth obeisance, and saith to Him, `What is my Lord speaking unto His servant?' And the Prince of Jehovah's host saith unto Joshua, `Cast off thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place on which thou art standing is holy;' and Joshua doth so;

Genesis 32:30 YLT

And Jacob calleth the name of the place Peniel: for `I have seen God face unto face, and my life is delivered;'

Genesis 32:24 YLT

And Jacob is left alone, and one wrestleth with him till the ascending of the dawn;

Genesis 18:31 YLT

And he saith, `Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?' and He saith, `I do not destroy `it', because of the twenty.'

Genesis 18:22 YLT

and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah.

Genesis 18:17 YLT

and Jehovah said, `Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,

Commentary on Ezekiel 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 10

Eze 10:1-22. Vision of Coals of Fire Scattered over the City: Repetition of the Vision of the Cherubim.

1. The throne of Jehovah appearing in the midst of the judgments implies that whatever intermediate agencies be employed, He controls them, and that the whole flows as a necessary consequence from His essential holiness (Eze 1:22, 26).

cherubim—in Eze 1:5, called "living creatures." The repetition of the vision implies that the judgments are approaching nearer and nearer. These two visions of Deity were granted in the beginning of Ezekiel's career, to qualify him for witnessing to God's glory amidst his God-forgetting people and to stamp truth on his announcements; also to signify the removal of God's manifestation from the visible temple (Eze 10:18) for a long period (Eze 43:2). The feature (Eze 10:12) mentioned as to the cherubim that they were "full of eyes," though omitted in the former vision, is not a difference, but a more specific detail observed by Ezekiel now on closer inspection. Also, here, there is no rainbow (the symbol of mercy after the flood of wrath) as in the former; for here judgment is the prominent thought, though the marking of the remnant in Eze 9:4, 6 shows that there was mercy in the background. The cherubim, perhaps, represent redeemed humanity combining in and with itself the highest forms of subordinate creaturely life (compare Ro 8:20). Therefore they are associated with the twenty-four elders and are distinguished from the angels (Re 5:1-14). They stand on the mercy seat of the ark, and on that ground become the habitation of God from which His glory is to shine upon the world. The different forms symbolize the different phases of the Church. So the quadriform Gospel, in which the incarnate Saviour has lodged the revelation of Himself in a fourfold aspect, and from which His glory shines on the Christian world, answers to the emblematic throne from which He shone on the Jewish Church.

2. he—Jehovah; He who sat on the "throne."

the man—the Messenger of mercy becoming the Messenger of judgment (see on Eze 9:2). Human agents of destruction shall fulfil the will of "the Man," who is Lord of men.

wheels—Hebrew, galgal, implying quick revolution; so the impetuous onset of the foe (compare Eze 23:24; 26:10); whereas "ophan," in Eze 1:15, 16 implies mere revolution.

coals of fire—the wrath of God about to burn the city, as His sword had previously slain its guilty inhabitants. This "fire," how different from the fire on the altar never going out (Le 6:12, 13), whereby, in type, peace was made with God! Compare Isa 33:12, 14. It is therefore not taken from the altar of reconciliation, but from between the wheels of the cherubim, representing the providence of God, whereby, and not by chance, judgment is to fall.

3. right … of … house—The scene of the locality whence judgment emanates is the temple, to mark God's vindication of His holiness injured there. The cherubim here are not those in the holy of holies, for the latter had not "wheels." They stood on "the right of the house," that is, the south, for the Chaldean power, guided by them, had already advanced from the north (the direction of Babylon), and had destroyed the men in the temple, and was now proceeding to destroy the city, which lay south and west.

the cherubim … the man—There was perfect concert of action between the cherubic representative of the angels and "the Man," to minister to whom they "stood" there (Eze 10:7).

cloud—emblem of God's displeasure; as the "glory" or "brightness" (Eze 10:4) typifies His majesty and clearness in judgment.

4. The court outside was full of the Lord's brightness, while it was only the cloud that filled the house inside, the scene of idolatries, and therefore of God's displeasure. God's throne was on the threshold. The temple, once filled with brightness, is now darkened with cloud.

5. sound of … wings—prognostic of great and awful changes.

voice of … God—the thunder (Ps 29:3, &c.).

6. went in—not into the temple, but between the cherubim. Ezekiel sets aside the Jews' boast of the presence of God with them. The cherubim, once the ministers of grace, are now the ministers of vengeance. When "commanded," He without delay obeys (Ps 40:8; Heb 10:7).

7. See on Eze 10:3.

one cherub—one of the four cherubim.

his hand—(Eze 1:8).

went out—to burn the city.

8. The "wings" denote alacrity, the "hands" efficacy and aptness, in executing the functions assigned to them.

9. wheels—(See on Eze 1:15, 16). The things which, from Eze 10:8 to the end of the chapter, are repeated from the first chapter are expressed more decidedly, now that he gets a nearer view: the words "as it were," and "as if," so often occurring in the first chapter, are therefore mostly omitted. The "wheels" express the manifold changes and revolutions in the world; also that in the chariot of His providence God transports the Church from one place to another and everywhere can preserve it; a truth calculated to alarm the people in Jerusalem and to console the exiles [Polanus].

10. four had one likeness—In the wonderful variety of God's works there is the greatest harmony:—

"In human works, though labored on with pain,

One thousand movements scarce one purpose gain;

In God's one single doth its end produce,

Yet serves to second, too, some other use.

(See on Eze 1:16).

wheel … in … a wheel—cutting one another at fight angles, so that the whole might move in any of the four directions or quarters of the world. God's doings, however involved they seem to us, cohere, so that lower causes subserve the higher.

11. (See on Eze 1:17).

turned not—without accomplishing their course (Isa 55:11) [Grotius]. Rather, "they moved straight on without turning" (so Eze 1:9). Having a face towards each of the four quarters, they needed not to turn around when changing their direction.

whither … head looked—that is, "whither the head" of the animal cherub-form, belonging to and directing each wheel, "looked," thither the wheel "followed." The wheels were not guided by some external adventitious impetus, but by some secret divine impulse of the cherubim themselves.

12. body—literally, "flesh," because a body consists of flesh.

wheels … full of eyes—The description (Eze 1:18) attributes eyes to the "wheels" alone; here there is added, on closer observation, that the cherubim themselves had them. The "eyes" imply that God, by His wisdom, beautifully reconciles seeming contrarieties (compare 2Ch 16:9; Pr 15:3; Zec 4:10).

13. O wheel—rather, "they were called, whirling," that is, they were most rapid in their revolutions [Maurer]; or, better, "It was cried unto them, The whirling" [Fairbairn]. Galgal here used for "wheel," is different from ophan, the simple word for "wheel." Galgal is the whole wheelwork machinery with its whirlwind-like rotation. Their being so addressed is in order to call them immediately to put themselves in rapid motion.

14. cherub—but in Eze 1:10 it is an ox. The chief of the four cherubic forms was not the ox, but man. Therefore "cherub" cannot be synonymous with "ox." Probably Ezekiel, standing in front of one of the cherubim (namely, that which handed the coals to the man in linen), saw of him, not merely the ox-form, but the whole fourfold form, and therefore calls him simply "cherub"; whereas of the other three, having only a side view, he specifies the form of each which met his eye [Fairbairn]. As to the likelihood of the lower animals sharing in "the restoration of all things," see Isa 11:6; 65:25; Ro 8:20, 21; this accords with the animal forms combined with the human to typify redeemed man.

15. The repeated declaration of the identity of the vision with that at the Chebar is to arouse attention to it (Eze 10:22; 3:23).

the living creature—used collectively, as in Eze 10:17, 20; 1:20.

16. (See on Eze 10:11; Eze 1:19).

lifted up … wings—to depart, following "the glory of the Lord" which was on the point of departing (Eze 10:18).

17. (Eze 1:12, 20, 21).

stood—God never stands still (Joh 5:17), therefore neither do the angels; but to human perceptions He seems to do so.

18. The departure of the symbol of God's presence from the temple preparatory to the destruction of the city. Foretold in De 31:17. Woe be to those from whom God departs (Ho 9:12)! Compare 1Sa 28:15, 16; 4:21: "I-chabod, Thy glory is departed." Successive steps are marked in His departure; so slowly and reluctantly does the merciful God leave His house. First He leaves the sanctuary (Eze 9:3); He elevates His throne above the threshold of the house (Eze 10:1); leaving the cherubim He sits on the throne (Eze 10:4); He and the cherubim, after standing for a time at the door of the east gate (where was the exit to the lower court of the people), leave the house altogether (Eze 10:18, 19), not to return till Eze 43:2.

20. I knew … cherubim—By the second sight of the cherubim, he learned to identify them with the angelic forms situated above the ark of the covenant in the temple, which as a priest, he "knew" about from the high priest.

21. The repetition is in order that the people about to live without the temple might have, instead, the knowledge of the temple mysteries, thus preparing them for a future restoration of the covenant. So perverse were they that they would say, "Ezekiel fancies he saw what has no existence." He, therefore, repeats it over and over again.

22. straight forward—intent upon the object they aimed at, not deviating from the way nor losing sight of the end (Lu 9:52).